VEVO RELEASES NEW “WATCH THIS” SERIES FEATURING THE KILLERS

May 20, 2020

Vevo announced the release of Watch This featuring The Killers and their music videos for “When You Were Young,” “Bones” and “The Man.” The Killers’ Watch This series premiered with “Mr. Brightside” last month. Watch This brings a camera to the “comments” section of a music video. These episodes act as a forum for inside-scoop commentary from The Killers themselves as they look back at their music videos, giving a first-hand interpretation on everything from inspiration to impact. As they matured from their indie dance-rock roots into torchbearers of new wave and Americana-inspired anthems, Las Vegas rock quartet the Killers earned global success.

With a mix of ’80s-styled synth pop and fashionista charm, the band’s multi-platinum 2004 debut, Hot Fuss, became one of the decade’s biggest releases, spawning four hit singles — including their most enduring hit, “Mr. Brightside” — and catapulting the group into the international spotlight. After the abrupt stylistic shift on 2006 sophomore effort Sam’s Town — which de-emphasized the group’s new wave revivalism in favor of the heartland rock of Bruce Springsteen and Rattle and Hum-era U2 — they struck a balance between their two sides on a consistent run of Top Ten releases that peaked with 2017’s chart-topping Wonderful Wonderful. Founding foursome Brandon Flowers (vocals/keyboards), David Keuning (guitar), Mark Stoermer (bass), and Ronnie Vannucci (drums) first came together in 2002, two years before Hot Fuss introduced their band to the public. Flowers had been sacked by his former synth pop band, Blush Response, after refusing to move to Los Angeles with the rest of his bandmates. Instead, he remained in Las Vegas, where he soon met local guitarist and Oasis fanatic Keuning.

The two began collaborating on material; within weeks, they’d composed their soon-to-be radio hit “Mr. Brightside.” Stoermer, a former medical courier, and Vannucci, a classical percussion major at UNLV, eventually joined the fray, and the band began playing small clubs in its hometown. A U.K. representative for Warner Bros. caught wind of the Killers’ brewing hype, and although he neglected to bring them on board the Warner roster, he did pass along their demo to the London-based indie imprint Lizard King. The British label quickly signed the Killers, who temporarily moved to the U.K. and issued a limited-edition single for “Mr. Brightside.” The Killers’ buzz had effectively traveled back across the Atlantic by fall 2003, and the band was offered a prime spot at the annual CMJ Music Marathon in New York City.

A worldwide deal with Island followed shortly thereafter, positioning the Killers to join the ranks of fellow indie/post-punk revivalists Interpol, the Rapture, and the Strokes. Watch This featuring The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside,” “When You Were Young,” “Bones” and “The Man” is now streaming on all platforms. Keep up with exclusive content from artists all over the world on YouTube.com/Vevo.